---
id: CVE-2026-98554
title: >-
  kernel: vlan: ensure sufficient headroom in vlan_dev_hard_header()
  (CVE-2026-98554)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's virtual local area network (VLAN)
  driver. When processing network packets that lack sufficient reserved buffer
  space (headroom) before network headers are appended, the system triggers a
  panic conditi…
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-617
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 6
  - enterprise_linux 7
  - enterprise_linux 8
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-10-18'
updated: '2026-10-20'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-20T01:30:04+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98554.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98554.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98554'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2554956'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98554'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98554'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98554.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/55e007fc3b4d76fa4d6b4660f6904fe6ab045a1b'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5aca8e6a8ff6aeae358c1d9b65447aac416ace95'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ba1f57313f36a3ce6f77d593548f0c511f34aa1'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ca797491f0ae4bfde9039f79f6f1ed7781c9110f'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cfba0f45553de2b803059e3d539a1e418df24da8'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7ee4bea64f559ea8e03260014775b64c720cb5b'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90d51095371d96747f45bbd8504edf6513e039ef'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd5dd68267c4238795fadaf02b3575ca3f8a6500'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00216
epssPercentile: 0.11991
ingestedAt: '2026-10-18T15:45:12.264Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's virtual local area network (VLAN) driver. When processing network packets that lack sufficient reserved buffer space (headroom) before network headers are appended, the system triggers a panic condition. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) by crashing the system.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, … · updated 2026-10-20 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98554.json)

**kernel: vlan: ensure sufficient headroom in vlan_dev_hard_header()** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-10-18, updated 2026-10-20.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Out of support scope